That’s the Ticket!

Setbacks. They are discouraging. Frustrating. And at times, weakening. Or so it feels. I’ve recently had some setbacks. Physically, health wise and ultimately mentally. My only choice these past few weeks was to “sit and rest.” Rest? Yes..necessary for the body to heal. Not so great, though, when you are training for a triathlon. And especially , not so great for my mind.

Too much time sitting and resting and resting and sitting can make one’s mind go a little stir crazy. As in, stirring up “the crazy” that has been effectively thwarted by the swimming and biking and running and hiking. My body in motion is my mental balance. So…the crazy has been stirring lately…and it has been releasing those demons again.

But then, I read Life’s Golden Ticket by Brendon Burchard. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the story here because I believe you all should read it for yourselves. However, like everything in life, I came across this book the other day just at the precise moment I needed it! #coincidencenotacoincidence

Because, you see, as the stir-crazy mayhem wreaked havoc on my mind, the setbacks grew like a parasite. Not only was I experiencing major physical setbacks, the mental setback was a ferocious monster of its own! So full of disappointment and exhaustion, I was ready to quit. Despite how far I have come, I was prepared to sit down, take a seat and never return to accomplishing my goals. Done. Done. And done!

Life’s Golden Ticket. It was “the ticket” I needed to jumpstart my passion for staying in the fight. It was just the ticket so desperately needed to light the fire within and remember to keep going. To continue the journey. No matter how difficult, discouraging and down right painful.

I read the book…in its entirety…in one day. While there were many powerful messages woven throughout this beautifully soul-wrenching parable, one of the passages that struck a cord with me was the following:

“The ringmaster nudged me. “Good work,” he whispered.

“But I fell,” I said.

“Of course you did. You’ll do that when you start moving forward to your goals. But you made the attempt. You took bold steps. And you learned that when you fall, it isn’t so bad. You started the heroic journey.”
(Excerpt From: Burchard, Brendon. “Life’s Golden Ticket.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2016-03-28. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright.)

Yes…falling is part of the journey. Setbacks. Failures. More setbacks. But that is to be expected when you make the choice…the daring choice to change for the better and forge forward. Remember why you started and that you did not come this far to only come this far.

When the demons start stirring in your mind again, or the setbacks hit, you can either continue looping the lies you tell yourself over and over and over again…or you can stop that cycle. Stop it! You can choose a new path. The path where setbacks are ok…even welcomed! Because on this new path toward your goals, you tell yourself the story of who you want to be and then be that. Take the bold, fearless steps like Mr. Burchard urges us to take!

Yes…walk inside your beautiful story, own all parts of it. The good. The bad. The ugly. The extraordinary. All of it. Then…remember why you started. What you decided you wanted in life. Your goals = your growth.Rising…falling…and rising again. This is how change happens. Positive change. Appreciate the lessons along the way…no matter how excruciating they may be at times. Those are the lessons, the challenges, the setbacks that are going to slingshot you forward toward victory.

You have the power to live a life worth….everything.

So now, where setbacks once resided and spawned demons of doubt and worthlessness, a cycle of strength and positive intentions grow with heroic steps forward (no matter how gigantic or tiny). I will continue to take strides towards victory, despite the physical and emotional backslides. Remember…what you think, you become. A daily reminder crucial for this courageous path of change.

Engage the hope in your heart. Embrace all aspects of you. Be thankful and gentle with the person you are becoming. You are the journey. Amen.